Engineering samples are pre-production devices loaned by semiconductor device manufacturers to companies and other entities for evaluation, interoperability testing, and product readiness purposes prior to product launch. Often, those samples are of a similar quality and level of operation to production devices. In some cases, engineering samples may include additional or proprietary features that are not included in production devices. As such, engineering samples are not typically intended for general public use.
To prevent the public distribution of engineering samples, semiconductor device manufactures typically only loan samples to companies and other entities subject to specific contractual terms and conditions. For example, semiconductor device manufactures generally only loan engineering samples to those Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs), and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) that have agreed in advance to certain legal disclaimers (e.g., regulatory compliance disclosures, lack of warranty coverage, device ownership statements, etc.) and conditions (e.g., agreements not to sell, resell, distribute, disclose confidential information, intended use, etc.). Notwithstanding those agreements, a number of engineering samples still somehow find their way into the general public where they are distributed, sold in the open market, or are used in a manner contrary to the intended purpose.